Viewing box



June l6, 1959 J. A. BENDlTT 2,890,527

VIEWING BOX I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 10, 1958 7 .1 2/ 25x 5 f f 5 1 I /0 27 VESTOR Q IN N June 16, 1959 Y J. A. BENDITT VIEWING BOX Filed March 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR J JflBenJ 112i United States Patent filice Patented June 16, 1959 Box John A. Benditt, Chester, Pa. Application March 10, 1958, Serial No. 720,326

8 Claims. (21. 35-8 This invention relates to a novel box or housing especially constructed to loosely contain a plurality of distinctive objects constituting miniature simulations of well known objects to be utilized for educational and amusement purposes.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a container in which a large number of small objects are loosely disposed and which container is so constructed that it may be conveniently manipulated for positioning a number of the objects at random in an exposed position to be viewed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container which is so constructed that it is possible to only position a part of the total number of the objects contained therein in an exposed position for viewing and wherein the positioning of the objects for viewing can be accomplished only at random or by chance.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

2 inclined exposed inner faces 17 extending between the bottom 11 and end walls 12.

The box 10 includes top wall portions 18 which extend across the ends thereof. A panel 19 of a rigid transparent material, such as glass or plastic, fits snugly between the top wall portions 18 and is of a width corresponding to the width of the box 10 so that side edge portions of the panel 19 rest upon and are supported by portions of the upper edges of the side walls 13, as seen in Figure 3. Retaining strips 20 of angular cross section, and which may be formed of sheet metal, engage along the upper portions of the side walls 13 and overlie the side edge portions of the box top, formed by the parts 18 and 19. Said retaining members are secured detachably to the side walls 13 by fastenings 21, which additionally extend through and secure the top portions 18 to said walls 13, as seen in Figure 5. Portions of the retaining strips overlie the Figure 1 is a top plan view of the viewing box or container and with none of the objects contained therein exposed;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional 'view of the box or container taken just beneath the top thereof and showing a number of the objects disposed in a position to be viewed;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 55 of Figure 1, and

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating the manipulations of the box or container for positioning a number of the objects in a position to be viewed, as seen in Figure 4, from a concealed position of said objects, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the viewing box or container in its entirety is designated generally 10 and includes a substantially flat bottom 11, corresponding end walls 12 and corresponding side walls 13. The box or container 10 is preferably rectangular, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4. The box 10 is preferably reside edge portions of the panel 19 for retaining said panel in an applied position, and said portions of the strips 20 are notched or recessed, as seen at 22, so that the entire width of the box or container will be visible through the panel or window 19.

A platform 23, preferably formed of a sheet material such as sheet metal, is disposed within the horror container 10, preferably about midway between the bottom 11 and window 19. Said platform 23 has downturned side edge portions forming depending flanges 24 which bear "against the inner sides of the side walls 13 and which are secured thereto by fastenings 25. The platform 23 is of a length substantially equal to the length of the window 19 and is disposed directly therebeneath. Baflie members 26 are secured under the side edges of the platform 23 and against the flanges 24 by the fastenings 25 and have upwardly and inwardly inclined inner faces 27, as seen in Figure 3. The baflles 26 extend substantially from end-to-end of the platform 23, as seen in Figure 2.

The box or container 10 is adapted to contain a plurality, preferably about one hundred, small objects 28 constituting miniature simulations of well-known objects and which are preferably formed of a lightweight, substantially nonbreakable material, such as certain plastics. The objects 28 preferably comprise about twenty groups so that there are five objects of each group or type. Among the objects which may be included are: airplanes, bananas, books, bottles, cars, cats, chairs, drums, fishes, houses, keys, pianos, pots, ships, shoes, soldiers, spoons, stars, telephones and trees.

Assuming that there are five of each of such objects, agitation of the box or container 10 or tipping the box endwise will cause all of the objects 28 to assume a position on the bottom 11. In using the viewing box, the student or player first turns the box over endwise, as indicated .by the broken arrow tipped line 29 in Figure 6, from the position of Figure 6 to the position of Figure 7 of the box. This rotation of the box about its transverse axis through an arc of 180 will cause the objects located on the bottom of the box to first slide against one of the deflector surfaces 17 and to be deflected thereby against the adjacent end wall 12 and toward the top of the box. During the latter of this half revolution of the box the objects 28 will come to rest upon one top wall portion 18 and the window 19, as seen in Figure 7. With the box 10 inverted as seen in Figure 7, said box can be shaken endwise to distribute the objects 28 at random across the top portions 18 and window 19. Figure 8 shows the box as it appears looking from an end thereof as seen in Figure 7 and with the objects 28 still disposed on the portions 18 and 19. From this position of Figure 8, the box 10 is inverted crosswise, about its longitudinal axis through an arc of as indicated by the broken line 30 in Figure 8, to return the box to its upright position of Figure 9 and with a number of the objects 28 resting on the platform 23, as seen in Figure 9 and also in Figure 4. It will be apparent that in overturning the box from its position .of Figure 8 to its position of Figure 9, that many of the objects will miss or fall off of the ends of the platform 23 and will be deflected back onto the bottom 11 by the deflector surfaces 17. With the box positioned as seen in Figures 4 and 9 and with a number of the objects 28 disposed at random on the platform 23, the box is shaken crosswise to spread the objects on the platform. The player or student then views the exposed objects 28 for a predetermined length of time, after which the window 19 is covered and the student or player tries to remember and make a record of how many of each object was exposed to view. For this purpose the scoreboard, as disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 722,497, filed March 19, 1958, may be utilized. A student may make a mistake by identifying either too many or too few of any objects being exposed. If the box is used as a part of a game the score would be determined by the number of mistakes made by each player. Thus, if the player stated that three stars were exposed, whereas five are visible as seen in Figure 4, this would count as two mistakes, while if the player stated that two airplanes were exposed whereas only one was shown on the platform, this would likewise constitute a mistake.

The viewing box 10, with the exception of the transparent panel 19, may be formed of any suitable material which is opaque and may be of any desired size.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter delined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A viewing box comprising, in combination, a box and a plurality of objects .looselyconfined within the box and each constituting a miniature simulation of a wellknown item, said box having a top wall provided with a window, and a platform secured in said box directly beneath said window, said platform being spaced from the top and bottom .of the box to provide spaces within the box above and beneath the platform, said platform ter minating in spaced apart relation to two parallel walls of the box to provide communicating passages within the box between the platform and said walls connecting said spaces, whereby the objects from a position resting upon 2. A viewing box as in claim 1, said box being substantially rectangular and including side walls and end walls, said end walls constituting said parallel walls, and said platform having ends spaced from said end walls.

3. A viewing box as in claim 2, said platform being secured to said side walls and being of a length substantially equal to the length of said window.

4. A viewing box as in claim 1, said parallel walls constituting end walls of the box and being spaced from the ends of said platform, and deflector members disposed in the corners formed by the bottom and end walls for deflecting the objects away from the bottom or to a position on the bottom beneath the platform when the -box is inverted or overturned in said first mentioned direction.

5. A viewing box as in claim 1, said box having substantially parallel side walls to which the platform is secured, and brace members secured to said side walls and bearing against portions of the underside of the platform for bracing the platform.

6. A viewing box as in claim 5, said brace members having upwardly and inwardly inclined inner surfaces for deflecting the objects toward the longitudinal center of the box when the box is inverted endwise.

7. A viewing box as in claim 1, said objects being formed of a lightweight substantially unbreakable material .and including a plurality of groups of identical objects.

'8. A viewing box comprising, in combination, a be); having a top, a bottom, and upright Walls extending between the top and bottom and combining therewith to define an enclosed space, a window formed in said box top, a plurality of objects loosely confined within the box and each constituting a miniature simulation of a the bottom, may be positioned at random on the platform to be viewed through the window by inverting the :box first in a direction to cause one of said communicating passages to pass over the other, and by then overturning the box in another direction.

well-known item, and a platform secured in said box and spaced from the top and bottom and from one of said upright walls, said upright wall and the platform form? ing a communicating passage between spaces of the box located above and beneath the platform whereby the objects, from a position resting upon the bottom, may be positioned at random on the platform to be viewed through the window by inverting the box first in a direction to cause the platform to pass over said passage, and by then overturning the box inanother direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,915 Slinn et al D6018, 1891 1,601,643 Pedrick Sept. 28, v1926 1,974,782 Muench Sept. 25, I934 

